Duel Masters, also from Wizards, allows you to play any card as a mana source. This resulted in games with those decks playing pretty similarly without other sources of randomization, though.We could get rid of the land mechanic since that feels kind of like the root problem to me and pretty archaic. Gotta go fast like KeyForge, or gotta go slow like Hearthstone, no lands required!
Just make lands automatically add to your resources at the start of your turn.We could get rid of the land mechanic since that feels kind of like the root problem to me and pretty archaic. Gotta go fast like KeyForge, or gotta go slow like Hearthstone, no lands required!
So long as they keep changing the mulligan rules we will keep theorizing 'solutions'.
I think the land thing has been archaic and a problem since the beginning, and the recent sets seem to be some of the best yet, so I like the way Magic is evolving.Oooooooor—hear me out—what if we... didn't fuck with the fundamental structural elements of the most popular and successful TCG of all time?
Hearthstone has proven that linear resources and predictable card draw make for boring, same-y games, which has led to an over proliferation of random effects that are impossible to replicate in a paper card game (and awful in their own right).
Sure. Like we'd listen to someone who is an advocate of the Urza is green theory.Oooooooor—hear me out—what if we... didn't fuck with the fundamental structural elements of the most popular and successful TCG of all time?
Hearthstone has proven that linear resources and predictable card draw make for boring, same-y games, which has led to an over proliferation of random effects that are impossible to replicate in a paper card game (and awful in their own right).
Sure. Like we'd listen to someone who is an advocate of the Urza is green theory.
Maybe we should have different mulligan rules for different formats. The London mulligan seems like a clear upgrade for limited, even if it doesn't work out for constructed.
Considering how they have spent years trying to make the game simpler, I doubt they are going to adapt a system where one way of playing has one system and other has a different one. Hell, they forced the EDH committee to use the Vancouver mulligan instead of the Partial ParisMaybe we should have different mulligan rules for different formats. The London mulligan seems like a clear upgrade for limited, even if it doesn't work out for constructed.
I very much doubt BO1 represents the future, so much as it represents an option that will remain in the future.If Arena BO1 represents the trends of the future then count me out. Messing with mulligan rules makes sense, that's orders of magnitude less impactful than changing the overall land system.
It IS a feature. While it sucks to lose to mana problems, they also allow lesser skilled players to win occasionally and they provide good excuses to help ease the burden of losing.they don't need to get rid of lands
they just need to make a lot more land/spell split cards
except the current head of design is a "mana screw/flood is good for the game" person, so you'll have to wait for him to retire
or just play arena where they're trying all this weird stuff where they keep shuffling your deck until you're going to draw enough lands + nonlands
Considering how they have spent years trying to make the game simpler, I doubt they are going to adapt a system where one way of playing has one system and other has a different one. Hell, they forced the EDH committee to use the Vancouver mulligan instead of the Partial Paris
I'm not sure something that provides an excuse is a good feature -- if anything it seems to lead to players whining and negativity in my limited experience.It IS a feature. While it sucks to lose to mana problems, they also allow lesser skilled players to win occasionally and they provide good excuses to help ease the burden of losing.
Yeah, but the whining and negativity is an outlet. If the players had only themselves to blame for losing, they'd have quit a long time ago. It's why team based video games are so popular. People have weak egos and can't stand knowing that their lack of skill is the reason why they can't win. It's the whole Chess vs. Poker debate.I'm not sure something that provides an excuse is a good feature -- if anything it seems to lead to players whining and negativity in my limited experience.
That's a super cynical thing though -- I think it would be healthier if people did quit if they're only staying in something because of addiction and their egos.Yeah, but the whining and negativity is an outlet. If the players had only themselves to blame for losing, they'd have quit a long time ago. It's why team based video games are so popular. People have weak egos and can't stand knowing that their lack of skill is the reason why they can't win. It's the whole Chess vs. Poker debate.
It's not really a negative thing. Games are designed to be fun. What's not fun? Feeling bad. Why do you feel bad? Because it's your fault you lost. Therefore games are designed to ease the burden on the player. That's part of why fighting games are so hard for newer players. It hurts way more to lose in a 1v1 game than in other genres. Also, never argued that addiction played a part.That's a super cynical thing though -- I think it would be healthier if people did quit if they're only staying in something because of addiction and their egos.
From the company's perspective I guess I see why you're arguing that, though.
Just make colored artifact, that's the solution.So, random thought that hit me in my drowsy sleepiness, buuuut... what if they changed the rules so that casting a colorless spell with any colored mana pinged you for one damage? Still in kind of a daze so maybe it's just a stupid thought, and honestly I think the right solution is just more artifacts with color in the cost. But still, deals with artifact sets being too strong kind of and gives a purpose to colorless mana production. I dunno, at least doesn't feel like the worst idea I've had while half asleep...
? Was I not explaining myself well enough, because it feels like maybe so? I was talking a minor nerf to colorless spells, not a major buff. Like essentially the equivalent of Umezawa's Jitte and all other overly powerful colorless spells would be erreta'd to have "if you use any colored mana in casting this spell, take one damage." So stuff like Sol Ring would be a minor choice in Commander at least, etc. May be waaaaaay too much of a ding on the stuff out there that's fairly balanced though, yeah....
I read the message wrong :v? Was I not explaining myself well enough, because it feels like maybe so? I was talking a minor nerf to colorless spells, not a major buff. Like essentially the equivalent of Umezawa's Jitte and all other overly powerful colorless spells would be erreta'd to have "if you use any colored mana in casting this spell, take one damage." So stuff like Sol Ring would be a minor choice in Commander at least, etc. May be waaaaaay too much of a ding on the stuff out there that's fairly balanced though, yeah....
? Was I not explaining myself well enough, because it feels like maybe so? I was talking a minor nerf to colorless spells, not a major buff. Like essentially the equivalent of Umezawa's Jitte and all other overly powerful colorless spells would be erreta'd to have "if you use any colored mana in casting this spell, take one damage." So stuff like Sol Ring would be a minor choice in Commander at least, etc. May be waaaaaay too much of a ding on the stuff out there that's fairly balanced though, yeah....
wrt land screw/flood, I think more important than "giving worse players a chance to win" is creating a more diverse set of gamestates. Being able to adjust to resource disparities is skill-testing and expands the possible set of game situations and narratives.
I don't know if it's perfectly optimized -- maybe you somehow can get the games where you navigate three missed land drops perfectly and win without getting the games where you miss three more turns and have 0% equity -- but I'm inclined to believe Maro that something about this system is intrinsically tied to Magic's long-term appeal.
Could be "fixed phyrexian" mana:So, random thought that hit me in my drowsy sleepiness, buuuut... what if they changed the rules so that casting a colorless spell with any colored mana pinged you for one damage? Still in kind of a daze so maybe it's just a stupid thought, and honestly I think the right solution is just more artifacts with color in the cost. But still, deals with artifact sets being too strong kind of and gives a purpose to colorless mana production. I dunno, at least doesn't feel like the worst idea I've had while half asleep...
This is probably obvious to everyone else, but I just saw a deck play 2x simultaneous wilderness reclamation, and I hadn't thought about the fact that you could empty your mana pool 3 times due to that. Having that not be legendary on top of everything else is pretty silly.
Don't you use azcanta in your temur explosion list?For the Nexus decks this lets them reuse Azcanta a bunch of times which is usually enough to keep finding Nexus, because you can look at the top 12 cards or something like that.
Yeah I had someone play 3 last night and then do an X spell for 28 damageThis is probably obvious to everyone else, but I just saw a deck play 2x simultaneous wilderness reclamation, and I hadn't thought about the fact that you could empty your mana pool 3 times due to that. Having that not be legendary on top of everything else is pretty silly.
I just bought The Brothers War on Kindle $5 as I heard the old MTG books where good. Is there any legal way to get the other 10 MTG novels before the Artifacts cycle digitally?
Anyone going to buy the Ravnica War of the Spark book?
I have no idea about digital.I just bought The Brothers War on Kindle $5 as I heard the old MTG books where good. Is there any legal way to get the other 10 MTG novels before the Artifacts cycle digitally?
Anyone going to buy the Ravnica War of the Spark book?